Trouble in the Great Hall
by KatharosHecate
Summary: Ginny's back for her second year at Hogwarts following the Chamber of Secrets incident and the transition isn't easy, especially with prats like Draco Malfoy reminding her of the past year at every turn. How does Ginny cope with the guilt and shame and how does a certain Boy Who Lived help her through? (POA) First in the series of HG one-shots.


A/N: This is the first in a series of one-shots that are attempting to "fill the gaps" in the HG ship. I don't want to change canon whatsoever, rather I want to take what J.K.R. gave us and embellish; add anecdotes where they could feasibly be and build a more substantial and believable connection between Harry and Ginny. This is my first published fanfiction after years of lurking, so please no flames!

Cover image borrowed with respect from the talented and amazing Burdge. Please see the link in my bio for more artwork by this incredible individual.

And, as always, none of it is mine; it all belongs to J.K. Rowling.

* * *

><p>The Great Hall was bustling with the excitement of dinner. Peeves was hovering somewhere over by Fred and George, the three of them causing their portion of the table to laugh uproariously every few seconds. Percy was seated just past them, grumpily frowning at them and trying unsuccessfully to quiet them down.<p>

Across from Harry sat Hermione and Ron, arguing animatedly. Though he tried not to be involved in their spats, he had gleaned this one was about a poor mark Ron had received in Charms. Hermione was upbraiding him righteously but Harry could barely catch Ron's responses, as his mouth almost constantly full.

"Really, Ronald, could you spare a moment and quit eating!" Hermione cried.

"Slim chance of the Hermione," remarked Neville, "Ron could eat through a centaur stampede. Never seen anyone go at it like he does."

"It's dedication, that's what it is." Ron asserted, though somewhat indistinguishably.

"And yet you can't be bothered to turn in a single parchment!" Hermione shrilly responded. Ron merely shrugged. He reached for yet another slice treacle tart, only to have Hermione slap his hand away.

"I see you're eating with the barn animals again, Potter." The nasally voice of Draco Malfoy carried to Harry's ears. Funny, Harry thought, how just the sound of someone's voice can make you feel sick.

"Malfoy…" Harry ground out.

"Sod off, Malfoy. I don't want to lose my appetite." Ron said over the din.

"Doesn't look like there's any danger of that, Weasel. Don't they feed you at home? Or can't they afford it?" Malfoy sneered.

Ron's face turned a shocking shade of red.

"What do you want, Draco?" Harry hoped he could divert Malfoy before Ron lost his temper.

"Just thought I'd check on the Weaslette. Surprised they let her back in after she almost killed The Mudblood. Not that I'm complaining."

Harry looked around, startled to realize that Ginny had been sitting on the other side of Neville, quietly eating. He wondered how long she had been there.

At Malfoy's insult, Neville stood up quickly, knocking over his pumpkin juice. Behind him, Ginny had grown pale. Harry noticed her fingers shook.

"Sod off, Malfoy." Neville sharply retorted. His voice shook, but his face was unexpectedly intimidating.

"What do you plan on doing about it, Longbottom? Going to stutter at me?"

Neville blushed, causing Malfoy and his goons to laugh.

"Leave him alone, Draco." Harry blinked in surprise when he realized it came from Ginny herself.

"So she can speak!" Draco said, "From what I heard you were better at writing."

Harry heard Hermione gasp. It was a cruel thing to say, even by Malfoy's standards. Ginny jumped to her feet, a shocked looking Neville at her side.

"Why don't you leave us alone and go eat your dinner, Malfoy? Or did you forget how to feed yourself without your precious house elf to do it for you?" Ginny harshly responded.

Inwardly, Harry cheered her. It was a stinging reply and he watched Draco's face fall as it hit its intended target.

Draco recovered, taking a menacing step forward until his nose practically touched Ginny's. She was so short; he almost had to bend down to look her in the eyes. Harry felt something unfurl dangerously in his chest and he involuntarily gripped his wand.

"Watch yourself, Weasley. I don't let blood traitors talk to me like that and get away with it." Malfoy threatened.

Harry noticed in satisfaction that Ginny's wand was drawn and pointed at Malfoy's throat. Draco seemed unperturbed and turned quickly, stalking out of the Great Hall with Crabbe and Goyle in tow.

Ginny grimly watched them walk away, her wand gripped so tightly her knuckles were white.

"That was brilliant, Ginny!" Ron exclaimed.

"Really, Ginny, you showed him!" Neville agreed.

Ginny sat back down, not acknowledging either of the boys. She seemed slightly worn out from the exchange and Harry noted how her freckles seemed to stand out sharply against her pale cheeks.

Hermione too seemed shaken by the altercation. She didn't say anything to Ginny, instead refilling her cup and shakily taking a drink.

"Hey Harry! Ron, Neville, Hermione, Ginny," Colin Creevey greeted them, coming up behind Ron and Hermione. Harry noticed with irritation that his camera hung around his small neck, "What did ol' Malfoy want?"

Ginny's small frame seemed to stiffen noticeably at Colin's presence. She stood suddenly, grabbing her satchel and running from the Great Hall.

"Nothing, Colin," Harry muttered. He was secretly annoyed that Colin had shown up. He was the last person Ginny needed to see at that moment and Harry found himself feeling defensive.

"Huh. What's with her?" Colin said, watching Ginny go.

"Not now, Colin." Harry growled. Colin seemed slightly taken aback, but glancing around the table and noticing the expressions on everyone's faces, he quickly excused himself.

"What in the hell was that all about?" cried Ron.

"It's Colin," whispered Neville, "She can hardly stand to see him. She still feels guilty about last year and him getting pertri-…"

He trailed off, his eyes shooting over to a disturbingly quiet Hermione, suddenly remembering that the list of victims from last year included her. She had the decency to blush but not respond.

"Wonder where she went off." Harry wondered aloud, glancing at the door to Great Hall.

"To the girls lavatory." Seamus responded, sliding in next to Ron.

"We saw her run in there." Dean added, also joining them at the table and reaching for dinner roll.

"Hermione," Ron said, his face brightening with epiphany, "you're a girl."

Harry winced, catching the irritation that flitted across Hermione's face.

"Yes, Ronald. What an observation."

"You go after her!" Ron prodded.

"I…I can't." Hermione replied, carefully avoiding Ron's eyes.

"Why not?"

"She…she doesn't want to talk to me. She hasn't said a word to me since we got here. She only sleeps a bed away but…" Hermione began to blink rapidly. Harry wondered exactly how close the girls had grown to be.

Harry was still staring at the doors to the Great Hall. Something was sitting in his chest that made him uncomfortable. A sudden, unbidden image of a lifeless Ginny lying on the floor of The Chamber of Secrets came to his mind and he found himself standing.

"I'll go." Harry volunteered, already walking towards the doors.

"You can't go in the girls lavatory!" Hermione exclaimed.

He was already gone, however, leaving behind an indignant Hermione and a confused Ron.

"Ginny?" He called softly, his head poking around door to the girl's lavatory. When he received no response, he stepped inside.

"Ginny?"

"Harry?" A confused voice called.

"Ginny, er- is that you?" He was starting to question his decision.

A small head poked out from a stall, red hair falling down over her shoulder.

"Harry! What are you doing in the girls lavatory?"

A blush crept into his cheeks, "Er, sorry. Ron wanted me to come check on you." He felt compelled to create an excuse for having followed after her.

She walked out from the behind the stall, clutching her books tightly to her chest. The discomfort in Harry's chest squeezed painfully when he noticed how defeated she looked.

"Ron sent you?"

"Erm. Yeah. They wanted Hermione to come but…" He trailed off, unsure of how to finish. Harry was dismayed to see a bright sheen appear in her eyes. She whipped her head sharply to the side, keeping her eyes locked on the floor.

"But she doesn't want to see me." She finished, her voice catching.

"It's not that," he said, taking a step closer to her.

She stepped back.

"Did Colin…did Colin say anything? After I left." She looked up carefully at him and he noted that the tears were gone from her eyes. He felt relived. He had no plan for how to comfort her and he felt wholly unprepared and overwhelmed at the thought of a weeping Ginny.

"No. No one did. I think everyone wants to forget as much as you do."

"Not possible." She whispered, once again staring at her feet.

A moment passed between them with Harry shifting uncomfortable and Ginny squeezing her books even more tightly.

"Do you ever fly anymore?" He asked.

Her head popped up, her eyes sharp now, a glint in her eyes that seemed reminiscent of Fred and George. "How did you know?"

He smiled widely, "C'mon, Gin. I think I know when someone's been taking my broom out."

She grinned sheepishly back at him, "You're not mad, are you?"

"Of course not. I just wondered why you had stopped. You used it all last term."

Her eyes lit up, and Harry wondered how he had missed how brown they were before.

"Because I've been using Draco's instead."

Smiling at Harry, she turned to leave, gathering her satchel close to her. She paused at the handle.

"Thanks for coming after me, Harry, but you don't always have to save me."

"I know, Ginny. But I want to."

With her back still turned, he couldn't see her expression. She stood with her hand on the handle for a few beats, and then turning to look at him with a broad smile that made his chest warm said,

"Good luck getting out of here without being seen." And slipped quickly out the door.


End file.
